Climate change is a defining issue of our time. It directly and indirectly impacts the health and well-being of us all. Allston-Brighton is impacted by climate change by prolonged periods of extreme temperatures, heatwaves, urban heat island effect, and precipitation with flooding as well as more powerful, frequent, and destructive storms.  Liz is a life long environmentalist, with a commitment to preserving green space, expanding the tree canopy, improving stormwater management and  implementing efficient building standards. 

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In her first term Liz

• Successfully Advocated for increased green space in new developments

• Secured $1M funding for urban tree canopy plan

• Secured $1.3M in funding for Chandlers Pond & McKinney Park Restoration

• Required new development projects have maximum energy efficiency for approval

• Continued Advocacy for I-90 Project at grade realignment to improve river access

• Continued Advocacy for  the new West Station Commuter Rail to improve Public Transit

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Liz is currently working to 

• Passed BERDO 2 green energy standards for buildings 

• Require passive house design standard for energy efficient new buildings 

• Implement Stormwater management strategies, bioswales, rain gardens and permeable hardscape 

• Increase the urban tree canopy

• Develop an A-B master plan with community input that addresses greenspace, development, and transportation which have long-term environmental impact

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The City of Boston has an ambitious goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050. Boston’s comprehensive 2019 Climate Action Plan lays out in great detail how we will reach our goals for greenhouse gas emissions. To attain this ambitious goal, we as a neighborhood need to be working on two tracks:

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1. Building resiliency and mitigating the impacts of climate change

2. Reducing carbon/greenhouse gas emissions to slow the pace of global warming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climate Change Mitigation and Community Resilience
There is a great deal of climate-related work we can accomplish locally — and together:

 

• Preserve and expand our green spaces and plant mature trees, especially in areas of Allston-Brighton that have been rezoned from industrial to residential and/or commercial.

• Increase the number of shade trees along streets.

• Promote storm water management with permeable pavement, rain gardens and bioswales (which slow down runoff by absorbing and filtering rainwater).

• Decrease water usage for landscaping by encouraging more drought resistant, native plantings that do not require irrigation.

• Introduce citywide curbside composting to reduce the amount of organic matter from entering landfill.

 

Reducing Carbon Emissions

 

• Improve the MBTA and invest in a fully connected bicycle path network. These attainable goals represent the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective alternatives to driving cars.

• Establish and improve dedicated MBTA bus lanes to reduce travel time, decrease traffic congestion, and encourage increased ridership.

• Increase availability of electric car charging stations throughout Allston-Brighton.

• Provide incentives for car sharing programs (such as Zipcar) to reduce the demands for parking.

• Through partnership with utility companies, expand existing programs to improve energy efficiency of older housing stock.

• Maximize energy efficiency of all new construction in Allston-Brighton, requiring net zero for all new, large developments

• Seek funding mechanisms to support an improved MBTA infrastructure.

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